Labs

The VR Centre (IT Service Centre Virtual Reality) as part of the newly built computer centre has two experimental laboratories that are connected to each other by broadband network technology.

The larger of the two rooms is soon to be equipped with a multi-user VR environment such as the so-called CAVEs (cave automatic virtual environment). This is to feature a modular, reconfigurable, high-resolution, stereoscopic floor and 360° panoramic projection video component. In addition, a massive multi-channel loudspeaker system shall be installed in order to be able to realise different spatial audio reproduction methods such as holophonic sound field synthesis (e.g. wave field synthesis, WFS) or reproduction by multi-channel stereophony (e.g. vector-base amplitude panning, VBAP). Reconciling the critical requirements of high quality acoustics with high resolution video formats is a challenge even at the planning stage - often current systems are designed and built with either high video or high audio quality in mind. The new environment will surpass the properties of the current FASP (built in 2006) by several generation levels in terms of performance and visual and acoustic resolution. This will create a new type of flexible CAVE environment at the TU Ilmenau that corresponds to the current state of the art and enables the university to address current and future-oriented research questions. Due to its comparatively simple construction, the large room can also be easily configured for audio and video playback using head-mounted displays (HMDs) for single or multiple people.

In the smaller room of the VR centre, a free AR/VR/MR experimental area was created. The video presentation takes place here by means of one or more HMDs. For the acoustic reproduction, a massive multi-channel loudspeaker system was implemented here. Due to the tracking technology available in both rooms, headphone-based audio reproduction methods can also be used in a simple way, such as dynamic binaural synthesis. With the use of an HMD for video playback and speaker-based audio playback, problems of limited externalisation of perceived audio objects can be circumvented with headphone-based methods. By networking both rooms and other laboratories on the campus of the TU Ilmenau, various types of interactive multi-user applications can be realised.

The Media lab offers extensive facilities for high-quality professional film, television studio and sound studio productions. It is available for teaching and research at the Institute of Media Technology and comprises three main functional rooms: recording room, video and audio control room. An additional editing room can be used for meetings. Students can familiarize themselves with modern digital camera and processing technology during their training.

Further information

In the premises of the former Competence Center Virtual Reality, the OpenI3TC-sensor Lab is currently being established, complementing the other laboratory facilities of the I3TC. In particular, additional possibilities are created to investigate immersive media and sensor technologies as well as their use and evaluation in the context of so-called Productive Teaming between humans and machines in an industrial production context. To this end, a range of non-contact and touch-based sensor technologies will be used, including electroencephalography (EEG), bioimpedance measurement, physiological force measurement, direct tactile input methods, motion capture for hyperscanning, real-time multimodal cameras, and audio systems. In addition, the OpenI3TC-sensor Lab will also provide the opportunity to look at special production technologies and human-machine systems for the application of welding.

The OpenI3TC-sensor Lab is also part of the CHIM network as a cooperation of the TU Ilmenau with the Chemnitz University of Technology and the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.